Judge Richard Bray sentenced Claxton to 50 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to pay £1,500 compensation to the National Health Service.

He accepted she dishonestly obtained more than £4,400 over four-month period in 2003.

Judge Bray told Claxton: "I have to sentence you for fraud, effectively on the NHS, while you were a nursing care assistant. A custodial sentence is necessary but exceptional circumstances allow me to suspend it."

Anthony Potter, prosecuting, said Claxton's scam was rumbled when her duplicate claims were discovered by an NHS worker.

She was arrested in September last year, but refused to answer the police's questions or give a sample of her handwriting.

Tom Kenning, defending, said Claxton was driven to commit the fraud because she was left with debts by an ex-partner.

"She was tempted to sort out her problems in the way she did, but she simply stopped after that four-month period," he said.